Now in their third incarnation, these Lusso Perform Carbon Bib Shorts overhaul their eco credentials but keep all of their classic looks and excellent comfort. And they've only gone up £10 in five years!
For more options, check out our guide to the best cycling bib shorts.
> Buy now: Lusso Perform Carbon Bib Shorts for £100 from Lusso
The shorts now include a honeybee logo on them to represent Lusso's quest to make products as sustainable as possible, and after scanning the QR code I was able to read about how the materials are sourced in Italy, but the shorts are handstitched together in Manchester, to minimise transport around the world. The packaging of the shorts is also recyclable as well.
Recycled materials are used throughout the shorts – in the main fabric, mesh back and straps, and also the pad.
The Perform pad is supplied by Elastic Interface and feels quite firm to the touch, but in the saddle feels just right.
Lusso advertises these as a "tight fit', and I could feel this in the leg hems as I have large thighs. They do stretch amply to go around them, but because of the grippers (which have silcone sewn directly into them), I found I needed to pull them up my thighs a bit, before pulling the rest of the shorts up to my bum.
Once the shoulder straps are on, they are absolutely perfect, and everything remains in place. The honeycomb style mesh used on the straps and back is very comfortable and really breathable and I appreciated it in the hot, sticky weather we had while testing in May and June. Lusso claims the change to recycled fabrics has made these more breathable than the V2s; I can't verify that, as I never tried the V2, but they certainly do breathe well. I've been riding them in temperatures getting on for 27°C, and they coped admirably.
The stretchy mesh, cut low at the front, also makes pee stops a doddle. I'm 5ft 11in with a 34in waist, and tested a large, and the whole fit was spot on.
On the bike, performance is really good. I used these mainly on road, with a smattering of gravel, for rides between 60 and 100km, and they were excellent. A good sign of this is when you forget you are wearing them, and that was the case here.
I also like that the classic, simple design of the shorts means they go with pretty much any jersey.
The reflective line surrounding each hem is a great help to being seen in low light, and won't wear out or fade as they are woven into the fabric. Although discreet in the daylight, they really stand out at night, helping to show leg movement back and forth, which hopefully catches passing drivers' attention. It's a very good feature, and in my opinion much more visible than tiny one-inch strips you see on many other shorts.
Aftercare is simple: I would shove these in with the rest of my weekly cycle gear. Even left for a few days in the wash bin, the bibs came up absolutely fine and smelling fresh each time.
After six weeks of long rides and commuting in these, the material of the shorts is fine, no wear or loose threads. A tiny bit of the edging of the Lusso lettering has started to peel but this is a minor niggle. Maybe for a fourth version it could be sewn in to prevent wear?
Lusso offers a repair service for items purchased directly from its website. This is free of charge for items within their one-year warranty, while out-of-warranty items can be repaired for an additional fee.
Value
For UK-made shorts of this quality, £100 is a very good price. I was quite surprised how much they cost when I saw the "hand stitched in Manchester" logo. Especially considering that, when we reviewed the previous version back in 2018, they were £90 – to have only gone up £10 in five years, they seem to have defied inflation.
They're now the same price as the Blackmore bibs I tested last year, which offer similar all-day comfort and a hardwearing construction, although the high front makes pee-stops tricky.
At £20 more, the Kalas Pure-Z bibs that Jo tested have a good fit, although he found the size charts a little odd. I own a pair of these too, and find them very comparable with the Lussos, with a very similar pad and similar ability to be ridden for a long time and long distances.
You can find good shorts for less, though: Stu tested the Galibier Equipe 2s last year, and they're great value at only £73. These also have comfortable straps, and compression in the legs, similar to the Lussos.
Conclusion
To sum up, the Lusso Perform Carbon Bibs continue to "perform" extremely well. They're really comfortable, breathe well on the hottest days, and have an inflation-busting price tag. Plus they're made from recycled fabrics, and in the UK to boot. They're excellent.
Verdict
Understated yet smart, great value and perform extremely well
Make and model: Lusso Perform Carbon Bib Shorts
Tell us what the product is for
Lusso has updated its Perform carbon bib shorts for 2023, this new version keeping the classic looks and feel of the previous bibs, but carrying the company's increased focus on recycled and fabrics and sustainability.
Lusso says: "The carbon v2 bib shorts have been our best-selling bibs for the last 5 years and are the only shorts to receive a 10/10 rating from road.cc So we had to think long and hard about any improvements we could make. Rather than focusing on the fit and feel which you have come to love and expect, we turned our attention to the components that make them a wardrobe essential. Recycled fabrics now make up the shorts, whilst retaining the suppleness and stretch that make these bibs fit like an instant classic. A new material has been used to make up the mesh bib top with an improved fibre content. High polypropylene content makes the mesh lighter, softer and more durable than its predecessor, perfect for a pair of daily essentials. It also wicks sweat away faster and is exclusive to these bib shorts. The extra wide sewn on grippers are directly woven with silicon for stability during your toughest sessions Paired with our Perform pad which is now made from recycled materials."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
From Lusso:
Made from Recycled fabrics
Extra wide leg grippers (measured at 70mm)
Reflective detailing sewn into the leg cuffs
Elastic Interface "Perform" chamois pad
Honeycomb mesh back and straps with low front cut for easy pee-stops
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
Recycled materials are used throughout the construction of the shorts, in the main fabric, pad and mesh back and straps. The leg grippers have silicone sewn directly into them.
Rate the product for performance:
9/10
The straps are a real highlight, comfortable both on and off the bike, and I did not feel them at all while riding.
Rate the product for durability:
7/10
A tiny bit of the edging of the Lusso lettering is starting to peel, but the material of the shorts is fine, no wear or loose threads at all in approximately six weeks of constant wear and washing.
Lusso offers a repair service for items purchased directly from its website; this is free of charge for items within its one-year warranty, while out-of-warranty items can be repaired for an additional fee.
Rate the product for fit:
8/10
Lusso advertises these as a "tight fit". I'm 5ft 11in with a 34in waist, and tested a large, and I could feel this in the leg hems as I have large thighs; they do stretch amply to go around them, but because of the grips, I found I needed to slightly pull them up my thighs a bit, before pulling the rest of the bib shorts up to my bum. Once the shoulder straps are on they are absolutely perfect, and everything remains in place.
Rate the product for sizing:
9/10
Rate the product for weight:
9/10
Comparable with other shorts for the quality medium weight fabric used here.
Rate the product for comfort:
9/10
The Elastic Interface Perform pad is very comfortable. I used these for rides between four and five hours, and upwards of 100km, and felt no discomfort at all. They will certainly be good for all-day riding. They cope well with hot temperatures too: I was wearing them on some of the hot humid days we had in May, pushing up to 27 degrees and still felt comfortable.
The shoulder straps are supremely comfortable, some of the best I have tried on any bib shorts. The low cut at the front makes for easy pee stops. Lusso claims that refining the design to use more recyclable materials has resulted in a better breathing pair of shorts, and they do breathe well.
Rate the product for value:
8/10
They're not as cheap as the Galibier Equipe 2s, but only a £10 increase in price on the V2s since 2018 is impressive. This version seems to have defied inflation. That is a great price for a pair of shorts made in the UK.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
In with the rest of my weekly cycle gear at 30 degrees; even left for a few days in the wash bin, they came up absolutely fine and smelling fresh each time.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Performance is really good. I used these mainly on road, but with a smattering of gravel for rides between 60 and 100km, and they performed really well. A good sign of how good they are is when you forget you are wearing them, and that was the case here. The classic, simple design of the shorts means they go with pretty much any jersey. The honeycomb style mesh used on the straps and back is really breathable and I appreciated it in the hot, sticky weather we had during the testing period.
The reflective lines surrounding each of the hems are a great help to being seen in low light, and won't wear out or fade as they are woven into the cuffs. Although discreet in the daylight, they really stand out at night, helping to see leg movement back and forth, which hopefully catches passing drivers' attention.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The fit and pad, and the comfortable shoulder straps. Also, the classic looks, super easy pee stops, and the reflective cuffs. I also like that the use of recycled materials.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The slight peeling of the Lusso branding on the outside of the shorts. An improvement could maybe to have a sewn-in reflective logo on the legs, that can't wear out.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
At £100, for a UK-made pair of shorts of this quality, they're very well priced. I was quite surprised at the figure when I saw the "hand stitched in Manchester" logo. Also, when we reviewed the V2 version back in 2018 they were £90, so to have only gone up £10 in five years is pretty incredible.
For the same money, the Blackmore bibs I tested last year have similar all-day comfort and a hardwearing construction, although the high front makes pee-stops tricky.
Jo found the Kalas Pure-Z bibs to have a good fit, although the size charts were a little odd. They're £20 more. I also own these, and find them very comparable with the Lussos, with a very similar pad, and similar performance for long rides (in time and distance).
You can find good cheaper options, though: Stu reckoned the Galibier Equipe 2s were great value at only £73. These also have comfortable straps, and a compressive fabric.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
These perform extremely well, are understated yet smart, have an inflation-busting price, and are made in the UK to boot. They also now have impressive recycled credentials. They're excellent: 9 out of 10.
Age: 43 Height: 181 Weight: 92 Kilos
I usually ride: GT Grade My best bike is: Boardman ASR 8.9
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb, Zwifting
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